Understanding
by PrInCeSsJeNn
Summary: With the arrival of a few new occupants, Bon Temps will never be the same again....
1. I'm Okay

Title: Understanding

Author: Jenn (email: indreamsidowander (at) yahoo (dot) com

Disclaimer: Me no own *sigh* All characters are property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.....**However** Jennika, Fallon, Asha and Rowan Kavanagh, Amber Sands, Eamon and Connor Adair, Shamus McKinnon and Dante Cataldi are all mine...any other OC's are mine as well...

Pairings: You'll just have to wait and see...I will say that sadly there will be no Eric/Sookie or Bill/Sookie...

Summary: What happens when after Eric tells Sookie not to use words he doesn't understand, a woman comes along that causes feelings in him that he'd long thought dead? Will he finally understand why Godric wanted humans and vampires to coexist? And what if (unknowingly) Jason was wrong when he told Sookie they were all alone? With the arrival of a few new occupants, Bon Temps will never be the same again....

Author's Notes: Okay let's assume in this fic that the events follow more along the lines of the show rather than the books. I am making a few changes to the story lines however: Sookie and Bill are no longer together; he wasn't kidnapped, she turned down his proposal and the truth came a knocking (I refuse to believe that after all she's seen and heard that Sookie could be that naive) – unfortunately Sookie had to face a very painful reality; she's not speaking to Eric either as she feels he played her as well.

-Just so you get a picture of what some of the characters look like: Dante Cataldi is based off of Jason Isaacs (the Harry Potter movies), Emperor Shamus McKinnon resembles Neal McDonough (Tinman), Eamon and Connor Adair look like variations of Tahmoh Penniket (Battlestar Galactica), and descriptions of Fallon, Jennika, Asha, and Rowan Kavanagh will follow.

-While I am a _huge_ Eric/Sookie fan, the Muses just wouldn't leave me be until this was written..

-I think this is the most personal story I've ever written. A great deal of the circumstances surrounding Jennika and Fallon's lives (save for all the vampire stuff obviously) happened in my own. Their mother passed from complications associated with Multiple Sclerosis and their father abandoned them. My own mother succumbed to it after a 19 yr battle in 2008 and I haven't spoken to my father since. For those of you that don't know, MS is a neurological disease. All of the cells in your nervous system have a white covering on them called mylen that allows the transmission of nerve impulses. Overtime, MS breaks down the mylen causing everything from muscle spasms to speech problems and memory lapses. There are four types. My mother had what's called Progressive-Relapsing MS – attacks (periods of aggravated symptoms – usually brought on by stress) cause symptoms to worsen, but when the attack is over, the symptoms still progress at a fairly rapid rate. It's a very heartbreaking reality to grow up in, that much I can tell you. But my mother took everything in stride and never forgot to tell my brother and I how much she loved us or how she was proud of us. She was an amazing woman who never gave up and never blamed anyone; instead she kept on moving no matter how hard it was to even drag herself out of bed sometimes. Granted I was only 24 when I lost my mother, I will always be thankful to the Gods for giving me those twenty-four years with such an angel. I'm gonna stop right there otherwise I'm gonna need some Kleenex....

-As always, reviews are love =)

-For those of you who are interested, I had a little playlist that I listened to for this and each subsequent chapter. I will be posting it with each update. For this one I listened to the following: Stronger (Britney Spears), One Last Chance (James Morrison), Better in Time (Leona Lewis), Fighter (Christina Aguilera), The Voice Within (Christina Aguilera), Cruz (Christina Aguilera), Reach (Gloria Estefan), With a Broken Wing (Martina McBride), Emotionless (Good Charlotte)...

-Also, each chapter's title comes from the name of a Christina Aguilera song. I could listen to Stripped and Back to Basics for the rest of my days and never get sick of it.

On with the show.....

–

Chapter One: I'm Okay

Heaven: The Valley of the Gods:

Four woman stood side by side looking down upon the Earth. The spot in which they stood was a crossroads of sorts. It was a place where all the Gods of every land roamed together watching out for their children – mortal and immortal alike.

Few, even after death (or final death in some cases) had ever been allowed entrance here. However, the two woman who'd accompanied their respective Goddesses had been allowed special passage this day. For they were watching the beginnings of a new dawn. Their children, it seemed, were destined for one another. It was a union that had been given the blessings of all the Gods.

Two were quite tall with long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes – an obvious testament to their heritage. Like everyone who either resided in or ascended to Heaven, they had the gift of eternal youth. Long, flowing, intricately embroidered gowns that were as white as snow ensconced their lithe frames. On their faces were matching smiles.

The other two were quite a contrast to their counterparts. The taller of the pair had sienna colored tresses with bright green eyes. She stood regally in a navy blue sleeveless gown that complimented her ivory complexion perfectly. She looked every bit a princess as she had in her mortal life. Of course, that was thousands of years prior. Upon her death, she ascended to her rightful place among her fellow Gods and Goddesses.

The shorter woman and youngest of the four had curly strawberry blonde hair with eyes blue as the sky. She was dressed in sapphire empire waist gown with long flowing sleeves. Curiously, she surveyed her surroundings. "What are we waiting for?"

"Have you not told her?" The Nordic Goddess questioned of her Celtic counterpart.

Aine shook her head almost imperceptively. "And spoil the surprise? I think not. My dear child has felt much sadness for her daughters since she joined us. It is time to show her that she shall be saddened no more."

Thora regarded her newest companion with light in her eyes. Freyja had told her this was the mother of her son's Destiny. "So she knows not of why she is here?"

"No I don't," Mary-Ellen replied hesitantly.

Freyja put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "My Child, fear not. We have brought you here to show you something. Your worry for your daughters, well more specifically Jennika is great. It is time to show you that you should worry no further. Just as Fallon has come upon her soulmate, Jennika shall find hers shortly. It has been foreseen for some time now."

Her eyes lit up at the prospect. The younger of her twin daughters had always been a bit of a lost soul. Even after having children of her own, Jennika still hadn't found true happiness. She'd long wished that Jenni would find a man capable of loving her in the way she so richly deserved. "Who?"

"My son," Thora replied with a beaming smile. "He has roamed the Earth for many lifetimes. Sadly, he had given up the notion of finding his Fated so very long ago. One look at your daughter though, and I knew. Our children are destined for one another. Through her, he will once again see the sun. The journey may be arduous at times as they are both fiercely independent and incredibly strong willed. But in the end, they will both find the happiness that they never imagined possible."

"He's a vampire?" It made sense to Mary-Ellen when she thought about it. There was no way Jennika or Fallon could ever marry a human. Only a fellow Supe would really understand and appreciate them. There was no way a human man would be a suitable husband to either of her girls. Especially considering that they were no longer human themselves.

"Does that surprise you Child? One daughter has found happiness in eternity, why shouldn't the other?"

"No it's not all that surprising. They are destined to be immortal themselves, it makes sense that their companions are capable of making that journey with them."

"Well Jennika's Destiny isn't the only thing that will be found along the way," a new voice chimed in, joining the group.

Mary-Ellen turned with a wide smile as she held her arms open for her beloved half-sister. Andrea was taller than her sibling with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. The shape of their faces and a good majority of their features were similar – there was no mistaking their relation. "Now what do you mean by that Drea?"

Andrea's smile was beaming. Since her mother-in-law's passing, Sookie and Jason had been very lost. It was her hope that Jennika and Fallon would help them find their way again. And only her nieces would be capable of answering all of the questions that Sookie now had. It was crucial – especially now. Jason, it seemed, would finally be coming into his own abilities. He'd finally proven himself as more than just a selfish little boy with his actions in both Dallas and the chaos in Bon Temps that had followed. "It means, my dear sister, that your little girls are about to come upon their cousins. Therefore, my children will finally come to understand their gifts."

"Indeed," Aine declared with a knowing smile. "The Gods will smile upon your family for the rest of their days. I have seen it."

Not another word was spoken as the five woman smiled brightly and gazed upon the horizon.

Many lives were about to change and not one of them would see it coming....

----

New York City: Three Weeks Ago:

"Are ya sure bout this," Jennika asked as tears rolled down her porcelain cheeks. For half a decade, the man in front of her had been the father she'd never had. He'd picked her up, fed her, clothed her and cared for her when her own flesh and blood had turned their backs. It still amazed her how a man who literally had no heartbeat had more love in him than the man she had the unfortunate task of calling father.

"It's what's best," Dante declared with a warm smile. His hands cupped her cheeks as his thumbs brushed away her tears. "You need a fresh start Little One. Somewhere far away from here."

"But..." He silenced her with a finger to her lips.

"Fear not, you, Rowan, Asha and Amber will be safe. Sophie-Anne has given her word that she will provide protection should the need arise. Do not forget that Eamon and Connor are going as well."

"I dunno," she replied softly, her features laced with trepidation. She felt like there were a lot of things he wasn't saying. But she was wise enough to leave it alone. Dante had and would never do anything that could cause any harm to them. In fact, it had always been the complete opposite. Out of respect, she'd never probed his mind to see what he was thinking. He was her true father and as such had her implicit trust.

Dante knew full well that Jennika was aware of the fact that he wasn't being completely truthful. Her emotions were all over the place at the moment. They had to be. Normally, she was quite adept at blocking him. But, he only withheld the truth when it was necessary. He never outright lied to her. "You **will** be safe. Your magik is stronger than anything I've ever seen. The Gods will see to it that no harm comes to any of you nor the children." He truly believed every word that left his mouth. This move would only benefit his girls and his grandchildren (that was exactly how he saw them – Jenni and Fallon had quickly taught him that blood and species don't determine family; only love does). Even though it had been centuries since he'd had a premonition, something told him that this relocation would open up a whole new world for his precious daughters.

Jenni worried her lip in between her teeth and sighed deeply. "I dunno."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "Little One, it's too late to back out now. You and Fallon agreed on this last year. That is why the construction was done on the estate. You yourself even decreed it would be for the best. After all, don't you want the children to have a yard to play in?" He hated to pull the Asha and Rowan card, but if it got her moving, he'd get over it. When she and Fallon had decided on the big move last year, he'd known even then that Jennika would be the difficult one when it came to leaving. She was the more sensitive of the two. Fallon tended to let more roll off her back. But then again, Jenni, in some respects, certainly had it tougher.

Tears pooled in her eyes. She really didn't want to leave him. "I know," she sniffled. "I'm just gonna miss ya."

Her declaration brought a wide smile to his face. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. "Little One, I am but a phone call away. Do not think that the two of you will be rid of me so easily. I expect you home for the holidays."

She hugged him tightly. "We will be. I love ya so much Te. You've been tha fatha that neitha of us eva really had. I can't thank ya enough fa all ya've done fa us."

He smiled affectionately. "I am proud to call you my daughters. You've brought joy back into my life. It is _I _who can never thank _you _enough." With that, he opened the door to the second truck and helped her in. He shut the door and placed his palm against the glass. She mimicked his motions as the truck pulled away.

The trucks would bring the girls to his private jet at LaGuardia Airport. From there, they'd fly to a private airstrip owned by their great-grandfather just outside of Bon Temps, Louisiana. And then it was on to their new home.

His phone rang just as both vehicles moved out of sight. "Hello, Your Grace."

The reply was spoken in an Irish lilt. "Have they left?"

"They have My Lord. I pray that I haven't sent them into the lion's den." His trepidation lie in the reputation of Sophie-Anne LeClerq, Queen of Louisiana. She was not someone he really trusted. But she would have no choice but to follow the Emperor's orders, even if they contradicted her nature.

"If any harm should come to either them or the children, lives will be forfeited. Of this you can be certain. Fear not."

"If you say so My Lord."

"You miss them. Already?"

"You've met them My Lord. It's hard not to miss their presence."

"I dare say they've changed you Dante."

"They have My Lord. Caring for them and seeing them flourish has allowed me pieces of my humanity back. They give me hope that one day all of us human and vampire alike can coexist."

"That is precisely why no harm can come to the Kavanagh Clan in any shape or form."

"I agree My Lord. I agree."

----

Brooklyn, NY: Nearly five years ago:

Jennika Kavanagh shut the door and stared at the envelope in confusion. It was postmarked from Ronkonkoma, NY. The town where her father had shacked up with his mistress (well by now her step-mother) after her mother's death. Dana's (the crazy home wrecking bitch in question) first order of business had been to get the 'troublesome whores' (her and her twin sister Fallon as Dana had [undeservedly, mind you] nicknamed them) out of her way and out of the house.

A lot of painful truths came to light after her mom died: her father had been having an affair for the last seven years, he'd fathered Dana's two youngest children, and her older brothers Antony and Damon had known the whole time. To top it off, neither she or her sister had been allowed very many of their mother's belongings; and to make matters worse, they'd somehow gotten cut out of the will.

Funnily enough, said will had been redone the year before her death (quite strange all things considered: their mother was bed ridden with a feeding tube – amazing that a woman like that could sign a will) giving their father power of attorney. He flat out refused to give any money to either of his daughters. Instead, he took Dana, Antony, Damon, Tommy and Kelly (her younger half-brothers) on an extended cruise. He told the girls that when they returned, he wanted them gone. Dana had (probably with very little effort – of that she was sure) managed to convince Thomas Bedlam to kick his daughters to the curb at only sixteen years old – knowing full well that they had nowhere to go. _Fuckin bitch ruined our family an they let her._

Their mother's best friend Mariah McCauley had helped them get a two bedroom apartment in Brooklyn and set them up with jobs in the admissions office at Fordham University. Thankfully, their mother had always been adamant that they save their money – whether it had been earned or given to them. So they'd stuck every single penny in the local bank. Thanks to their mother's urging, they had seventy-five thousand dollars in a bank account that their father had no knowledge of.

Of course, some of his anger towards the pair might have also had something to do with the fact that at eighteen, they would become fairly well off. Upon their grandfather and then eventually their grandmother's passing, they had been left the whole of the Kavanagh estate – two homes (estates would be a better description) in Muttontown and East Hampton as well as decent (well if you call four hundred twenty-two thousand a piece decent) sized bank accounts. Their grandparents had never cared much for their son-in-law and didn't want to see him squander away their grandchildren's money. So at eighteen, they would receive a portion of their trust funds with the remainder being turned over on their twenty-first birthdays. Those facts, coupled with their step-mother's hatred, had hastened their leaving. Seeing that he'd never have any of the Kavanagh money, Thomas Bedlam had no use for his daughters what so ever.

Upon being banished from the home in Richmondtown that they'd grown up in, their first task had been to be declared emancipated minors. Mariah's husband, a prominent family law attorney, had orchestrated it fairly quickly. Then, they took their mother's maiden name, Kavanagh. Neither girl wanted to share the same last name as their father and his home wrecking tramp.

Thankfully, the pair had finished high school at fourteen. School was the furthest thing from being an actual issue. By the time that their father had kicked them out, they'd already had bachelor's degrees; Jennika in ancient history and criminal justice, Fallon in psychology and mythology. You see, the pair had always been exceptionally smart. Their mother encouraged them to learn all they could – both inside the classroom and out. Especially since academic and extracurricular activities kept them out of the house and subsequently out of their father and brother's warpaths.

Language was no exception; they were fluent in Gaelic (as taught by their maternal grandparents and their mother), Latin (thanks to their childhood nanny Maria), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Farsi, and Japanese. After all, what good is living in New York City and not taking advantage of the melting pot of cultures? They'd made a killing (both in knowledge and financially) in their younger years by tutoring other kids in exchange for their teaching them their native languages.

Sensing her sister's whirlwind of emotions, Fallon came bounding into the room. "Whatsa matta?"

"_He_ sent us somethin. How tha hell'd he know where ta find us?" She raised her head and gazed into her twin sister's hazel eyes. Tears pooled in her own that she desperately wished away. It killed her that her father, or lack there of, still got to her the way it did.

Fallon was definitely concerned now. Jennika's eyes, which were normally azure had turned a stormy blue. Anger, pain, and sorrow laced her features. Out of the two of them, Jenni was the one who'd always been more affected by certain things – namely their father and brother's rejection. "Well we did fill out change a address cards at tha post office. I suppose he coulda found us that way. What's he want?"

Inside of the big envelope was a letter accompanied by another envelope.

The letter wasn't a letter at all. It was two sentences in her father's angry chicken scratch.

_In the move, this was found. I have no use for it._

"He sent us this," Jenni said as she held up the smaller envelope. It was adorned with handwriting that neither girl had seen in years but would never forget. It read simply: _Fallon and Jennika__._

"Oh My Gods, is that?" Fallon stuttered in disbelief as she fell back on the couch.

Sitting beside her, Jenni nodded as a lone tear dripped down her face. "It's from Mommy."

"Well," Fallon cried out, "open it."

Without further preamble, she ripped open the letter and began to read.

Fallon grasped her right hand tightly; not just to steady Jenni's shaking hand, but to steady her own as well.

_-_

_My Beautiful Princesses,_

_If you are reading this letter than I no longer walk the Earth. Fear not. I will be watching out for the two of you from above. Death is not the end. My soul will rise to the Heavens and my spirit will live on in the two of you. _

_Even though I have no right to ask, I beg of you to honor my last wish. My only request is that the two of you stay together. You're all each other has at this point and time. Without one another, I fear you won't make it in the world. I cannot explain at this moment just why that is. But in time, you'll come to understand._

_-_

At this point, Fallon held her hand up to stop Jenni from reading any further. "What's she mean, she ain't go no right ta ask?"

She closed her eyes, fighting back the tears but it was no use. In a voice that wasn't much more than a whisper, she replied. "Fal, ya know Mommy felt guilty bout things. She felt like Dad bein tha way he was ta us was her fault."

"'S bullshit. It wasn't Mommy's fault Dad's a dick. Mary said fa as long as she'd known him, he's always been that way," she bit out angrily.

"I know Fal but Mommy couldn't help it."

"Fuck that."

Knowing that if the conversation continued, they'd end up in a needless fight, she changed the subject. "Can I get back ta readin now Fal?"

"Yeah."

-

_Don't think I'm not aware of the fact that your father and brothers have never quite accepted you. It was a big point of contention between us when you were growing up. I ached to watch Antony and Damon treat you as no more than outsiders when you had done nothing wrong in the first place. And your father did nothing to dissuade their behavior. With my passing, I am more than sure that rift will become permanent. It pains me but I know in the end, it will be better off for the two of you. I will say this: I am deeply sorry that I didn't take the two of you and leave your father a long time ago. By the time I finally saw his emotional abuse for what it was, I was far too sick to do anything about it. By now, I'm sure you know why. _

_Well not completely. But in the back of your minds, I know that you know you're different._

_The two of you are very very special. When you were born, my mother took one look at the two of you and just knew. The magik that had somehow skipped three generations in my family, had been bestowed upon the two of you._

_Our family are the descendants of what was once known in Ireland as the Ceridwen Coven. They were the strongest line of natural born witches to have ever roamed the Earth. _

-

"Holy shit," Jenni declared as she put the note down on the coffee table. "I so didn't see that one comin."

Fallon's expression was just as slack jawed as her sister. "Me neitha. We're real honest ta Gods witches?"

"I s'pose it makes sense, Fal. Think bout it. We've always been able ta do freaky shit right? That explains why." With that, she picked the letter back up and resumed reading.

Their mother's next lines had them chuckling.

-

_Girls, shut your mouths. You'll catch flies._

_I know it is hard to believe at first; but is it really so unfathomable? Haven't the two of you always been able to do things that others couldn't?_

_C'mon, did you really think I didn't know? A mother **always** knows what her children are capable of. Your gifts are because of your magik. If honed properly, the two of you are quite powerful._

-

"Leave it ta Mommy ta call us on our shit, even from tha grave," Fallon said with a giggle.

Jenni grinned. "We neva could get anythin past her. Maybe that's why. Maybe Mommy had some magik a her own."

"Yeah. 'S called eyes in tha back a her head an supasonic hearin."

She choked while trying to take a sip of her water. "I s'pose that's true. Even afta Mommy got bad, we still couldn't get shit past her."

"Yeah. Well, get back ta readin J."

-

_I'm not exactly sure where you can find any of the Ceridwen Witches; if they even still exist. I'm sorry I can't be of more help than that. What I can tell you is that I don't think you're completely alone...._

_On her death bed, my mother confessed that I had an older half sister. She was adopted out years before I was born. The search for her was pushed to the wayside when I got sick. All I know is her birth name: Alexandra O'Malley; and where she was born: Angel of Mercy Medical Center just outside of Shreveport, Louisiana._

_Whether or not you choose to make use of this information is up to you._

_But, there is some information that I know for certain the pair of you will find useful...._

_I don't know if you remember him or not but my mother's best friend Jason Grimaldi still lives in the old neighborhood in Tribeca. I recommend paying him a visit since he has some things for the both of you...... _

_I lied to your father when I told him that Great Grampa O'Malley had cut myself and my parents out of his will...._

-

"Holy fuck," Fallon exclaimed in disbelief.

Mutely, Jenni nodded.

Hazel eyes bulged out of their sockets as Fallon stuttered. "Ya know what that means J?"

"Uh huh."

"We're fuckin loaded."

-

_See where I'm going with this?_

_You see, Grampa O'Malley and Grampa Kavanagh never did trust Tom or the boys not to spend the whole of the estate. So when Grampa O'Malley passed away, the three of us (me and my parents) put the money into a trust for the two of you in the event of my death._

_Since the money was left in the care of my parents initially, neither your father nor your brothers (especially since they are not my biological children) have any claim to it what so ever. It is yours free and clear. I know that the two of you are smart enough to spend it wisely._

_Besides, it will take you forever and a day to spend seeing as how it is the whole of your great-grandfather's estate...._

_The gaping jaw thing doesn't look very well on either of you girls *insert snickering here* What's the matter? Neither of you ever thought you'd have millions did you? Well now my Precious Ones, you do._

_In addition to the money, there are also a few houses (more like mansions). One just outside of Dallas, Texas, one in Beverly Hills, a vacation home in Puerto Rico, a home in Monaco and the original O'Malley family homestead in Bon Temps, Louisiana. As well as three nightclubs , two hotels, and of course the O'Malley Real Estate empire. I'm sure you girls realize that almost all of the holdings are located in Louisiana near the family home. They've been overseen by my Uncle Shane, my father's childhood best friend and his family._

_Jason has everything, including the key to a safe deposit box in which your grandmother left some things for you. I don't know the exact contents, but I have a pretty good idea. I'll simply say that the last of the surprises aren't over yet._

_-_

"Are we bein punked or somethin?"

"I don't think we are. Think bout it Gramma always used ta make comments ta Dad that we'd be fine even if he walked out on us, memba?"

"Oh My Gods," Jenni said as a huge grin spread across her face and she giggled giddily. "Fal, do ya know what this means?"

"J, we just got tha world handed ta us on a silva platta," Fallon squealed as they began jumping up and down laughing and crying in utter joy.

After about ten minutes, the girls stopped squealing long enough to see reason.

"So there could be an aunt an cousins out there somewhere," Fallon said with a gasp. Growing up, it had always been just them. Their mother's older brother, their Uncle Joseph, had been killed in a car accident when they were very little. He'd never married and had no children. And their father refused to speak to any of his family for reasons unknown.

The only other people they had around had been their best friends Rhysha, Chrissie and Ronnie. Ronnie had lost his battle with leukemia at the tender age of seventeen. And Chrissie had been killed in a head on collision with a drunk driver, while vacationing in Rome, only a few months later. Not long after that, Rhysha's father took she and her siblings back to his hometown, London.

Save for those three, they never felt comfortable around anyone else. Especially with their 'afflictions' as their father had named their 'skills'.

"We gotta find em," Jenni replied, her voice thick with determination. "We owe it ta Mommy an Gramma."

Fallon nodded affirming the sentiment. "Tomorra's a new day J. Tonight, we're goin dancin. We have somethin ta celebrate."

Jenni cracked a bright smile. "Last one dressed has ta be tha designated driva," she said as she darted up the stairs towards her room.

"I call foul," Fallon yelled running after her. "Bitch, ya gotta head start."

The only sound that could be heard after that was the happy laughter of two young woman who hadn't had a reason to laugh in a very long time.

But, the girls never got a chance to celebrate that night. Instead, they would always come to remember it for something terrible; a horror that neither of them could have ever imagined....

----

Reviews are love =)


	2. Stripped

I want to thank everyone who's read the story. I know a lot of you have been lurking cause I checked the stats ;) I would really like to know what everyone thinks so I ask that the lurkers drop me a line too ;)

The playlist for this chapter is as follows: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper), Human Nature (Madonna), Dream On (Aerosmith), Rock and Roll (Eric Hutchinson), Undiscovered (James Morrison), We Are (Ana Johnsson), and Be Happy (Mary J. Blidge)...

Reviews are love =)

----

Chapter Two: Stripped

Present Day: Merlotte's: Just After Sundown:

It was a slow night when the group walked in. The slowest night in weeks actually. Sookie looked up immediately upon sensing two voids among them. The sight that met her eyes had her a bit confused. The seven of them were certainly an interesting bunch.

Two of the girls were obviously sisters. But they were in stark contrast to each other. One was about 5'7 with long almost black hair and bright jade eyes. Her flawless ivory skin had a sun kissed glow about it. She was dressed in a navy blue sundress with matching espadrilles.

The shorter one was no more than 5'1 with waist length strawberry blonde hair (laced with black and crimson low lights) and big cerulean eyes that had flecks of emerald in them. She was very fair skinned. If she didn't know better, Sookie might have mistaken her for a vampire. But despite not being able to read her, something told her that this girl wasn't a vamp – even though she was pretty sure the girl wasn't fully human either. Red, as she referred to her in her mind, looked like a walking billboard for a tattoo parlor. She had numerous tats and piercings: a small stud in both her nose and chin that matched her eyes, at least eight in each ear and her tongue were all pierced; and she had at least six tattoos that were visible. Nothing gross – it seemed they were all strategically placed. Most woman who had that much done looked trashy; but somehow, this girl still looked very classy in spite of it all. She was wearing a pair of black bell bottom jeans and a matching tank top emblazoned with the words _Sarcasm: my superpower. What's yours?_ The look was completed by high heal white sneakers. Clearly, she was a girl that did her own thing fashion wise as well. _Good for her. __I wish I had the guts to be like that._

On either side of Red were two beautiful little children that looked just like her: a blonde haired blue eyed boy and a red haired little girl with amethyst eyes. To say they were gorgeous was a gross understatement. Like their mother, they undoubtedly got attention wherever they went. They obediently grasped her hands as their little eyes wandered around the room soaking up the atmosphere. The pair were very aware of their environment; especially considering they were probably no more than three.

There was a third woman who was older than the other two - she had to be in her late twenties to early thirties. She had long auburn hair and hazel eyes. Sookie cringed internally when she thought the woman looked a bit like Sarah Newlin. But she certainly didn't look all that prim and proper. She was wearing a low cut pink tunic tank top with matching capris and flip flops. Like Red, she had her tongue pierced and a small smattering of tattoos. And also like Red and her sister, this woman didn't read as fully human either.

Now Sookie appraised the two vampires that were with the women. The older one was about 6'3 with azure eyes and dark chestnut spiky hair. He was gorgeous, plain and simple. He had broad shoulders and a beautifully sculpted body. If any man would fit the term Adonis, it would have to be this man. He was wearing a pair of black track pants and a dark blue wife beater.

Not that the other was a slouch by any means. He was about 6' and had emerald eyes and jet black short shaven hair. Like his companion, he was very well built. His black tank top and dark washed denim jeans hugged his body perfectly.

If she didn't know any better, she'd say that the two vampires were actual siblings. They resembled each other quite a bit. _Maybe they were turned at the same time?_

"Welcome to Merlotte's," she said with a bright smile as she approached them. "Have a seat and I'll bring you some menus."

"Do ya happen ta have a booth big enough fa all a us?" Red asked with a small grin and she indicated the rest of her group.

"Why sure. In the back corner across from the bar." She replied as she pointed in that direction.

"Thanks," Red replied as the moved to take a seat. "I'm Jenni. This' my sista Fallon, my kids Asha an Rowan, our best friend Amber, Fallon's boyfriend Eamon an Eamon's brotha Connor."

As each member of the clan was introduced, they either smiled or gave a little wave. Even the vampires. They seemed quite friendly for being of the fang. _I suppose it's because they're with humans. _"Nice ta meet ya'll I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

"Scuse me," Maxine Fortenberry said as she eyed the entire table. "You two girls look awful familiar. You wouldn't happen to be part of the O'Malley family would you?" _'Good Lord. Look at what those girls have gone and done to themselves. They look like fang bangers.'_

Mutely Jenni and Fallon nodded.

"Are you Mary's daughters?" Mary was Mary-Ellen Kavanagh. She'd been the only living grandchild of Conrad and Meghan O'Malley – Bon Temps' wealthiest residents. Her mother, Suzanne O'Malley had married her father, Joseph Kavanagh Sr. merging their families' (Joseph was the sole heir to a hotel fortune) wealth. Both clans were made of old money – meaning they had the finer things but refused to flaunt it. Mary had even attended Bon Temps High School, choosing to forgo some outrageously expensive private school. She'd graduated early and married some hot to trot lawyer from New York. Not wanting to be away from her daughter, Suzanne had convinced Joseph to move up North as well. Of course being a small town, gossip spread through Bon Temps faster than wildfire. So every one knew when Mary had given birth to twin girls, Jennika and Fallon. Conrad had been quite proud and never resisted the urge to show off pictures of his beautiful great granddaughters.

Before Conrad and Meghan's deaths, Maxine recalled Mary visiting with the girls when they were no more than babies. Now, it had been a very long time since she'd seen Mary, but any idiot could see that they both resembled their mother – Jenni especially (save for the tattoos and piercings of course).

"Yes ma'am," Jenni replied as she eyed her sister. They gave nothing away that they were having a silent conversation. Years of practice had given them the ability to speak to each other in their heads without the rest of the world even realizing. _'Who is this bitch?'_

_'Dunno. But she knew Gramma an Mommy.'_

_'She's a nosy bitch. Just lookin fa some gossip.'_

_'Chill J. That may help us. We still lookin fa our aunt memba?'_

_'True. True.'_

"Oh my stars. You girls have grown up so much. How is your Mama?"

Fallon's tone was flat as she responded. "She passed away five years ago."

Maxine gasped. That meant Mary-Ellen was only 38 when she died. _'Oh those poor girls. No wonder they look like that. They were just babies when they lost their mama.' _"Oh I'm so sorry for your loss."

Jenni scoffed internally at Maxine. The small town idiot in front of her was exactly why Supes were afraid of the human world. Bigotry and narrow mindedness ran through her veins._'Not fuckin likely.'_

Meanwhile, Fallon tensed up as she reached for Eamon's hand. If it was one thing she hated, it was when people looked at her with pity in their eyes. Her mother being sick was all she'd ever known. It was the way her and Jenni's world worked: where as other people had healthy mothers, they didn't – and that was that, plain and simple. Being that they never knew any different, there was no reason to pull the poor pitiful me because my mommy's sick routine. So when people looked at them like they felt sorry for them, it was irritating. Thus the reason she and her sister had mostly kept to themselves in school. It was easier to hang out with someone who already knew the score than to have to explain the situation over and over or have friend's parents look at them with 'sympathy eyes'.

Seeing that his bonded and sister were getting visibly upset, Eamon took things into his own hands and glamored Maxine. "You will leave the table and no longer bother Fallon or Jennika or anyone else for the latest gossip in town just for the sake of conversation. You will take up some sort of a hobby instead. Now go and leave us to our meal in peace."

With that Maxine left the table.

Sookie looked at him in astonishment. It wasn't the first time she'd witnessed a vampire glamor a human. It was however, the first time she'd seen a vampire glamor someone _for_ a human. That, was certainly new to her. Clearly, Eamon loved his girlfriend very much. And the sentiment was more than returned. Fallon looked at him, her eyes shining with love and gratitude. In response, he kissed her forehead and murmured something that she couldn't quite catch in her ear. Her face lit up with a breathtaking smile at whatever it was that he'd said. Yes, Fallon and Eamon were certainly a couple to be envious of. She bit back a wave of sadness as thoughts of Bill once again stamped through her mind.

In the wake of the Maryanne madness, she'd learned of Bill's betrayal. He'd wanted a clean slate with her before proposing and subsequently confessed all his sins. Originally, he'd been sent to procure her by Sophie-Anne LeClerq, the vampire queen of Louisiana. Apparently, her cousin Hadley was Sophie's favorite pet and had subsequently mentioned her telepathy. But, he confessed, that he really did fall in love with her. Like that would smooth things over and make it all okay.

Sufficive to say, she'd refused his proposal. She'd thrown the ring back at him and called him a hypocrite. He'd called Eric sneaky and under-handed when he himself was guilty of possessing such traits. She'd gone home that night, burned the dress (it was oddly gratifying – even if only for an hour), rescinded both Bill and Eric's invitations, and cried herself to sleep. It had been weeks now and yet both her ex-boyfriend and his egotistical sheriff had persisted in trying to get her to talk to them. But it was to no avail. Sookie was damn tired of being a pawn in such a dangerous game and for once, stood her ground. But unbeknownst to them, she was dying inside. All of the pain, stress, danger and loss was finally taking its toll – in a very big way.

Before she started crying again, Sookie shook herself back into the real world.

Eamon noticed Sookie's curious gaze. He looked like a child who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I'm sorry. I normally have no use for glamoring but she was bothering my bonded and sister."

"It's alright. Maxine Fortenberry is a nosy bitch," she declared softly. "Ya'll pay no attention to her. I just have one question if I can?"

"Ask away," Jenni said.

"Are ya'll the ones that moved into the old O'Malley Estate?"

Normally, Jenni would growl at people asking any kind of questions – especially given her familial background. But this girl's aura showed that she was just being friendly and not intentionally snooping. She needed to remember that unlike Manhattan, people were genuinely nice down here. It was worlds away from where she'd been. Besides, outside of her 'family', she didn't have many others to talk to. Maybe Dante was right. Just maybe small town living would be just what she needed. The peace and quiet was already soothing her troubled soul. Plus it was nice to be able to let her little princess play outside and not have to worry about a kidnapping or worse. Sometimes it did pay off to listen to Dante; after all, he'd had lifetimes of experiences and like any good father (yes, that's how she saw him – it had been a position he'd chosen and earned over the last five years), he cared for the well being of his daughters and grandchildren.

"Yep," Fallon said with a grin. "Tha whole lot a us. It was built by our great great grandfatha. When Great Grampa O'Malley died, he left it in a trust fa us. We only found out bout it when our motha died. I'm guessin a small town like this, all tha construction that was bein done was tha subject of a lotta gossip."

Sookie giggled softly. "Oh my stars. Like ya'll wouldn't believe."

Jenni nodded. "Kinda figured. 'Specially considerin we had tha whole thing gated an a crazy security system put in."

Fallon chimed back in. "Not ta mention, tha fact that all a tha windows have light tight shuttas on them now. We kinda wanna keep tha boys from fryin if we can. My man may be dead, but that don't mean I want him crispy."

The girls laughed as Connor and Eamon rolled their eyes.

"My bonded ladies and gentlemen," Eamon quipped in retort.

Fallon bowed mockingly. "Thank ya, I'll be here all night."

With a chuckle, Eamon raised their clasped hands to his lips and kissed hers. She looked back at him with love shining in her eyes.

"Ya'll are too much," Sookie declared with a smile. The banter between Fallon and Eamon was especially interesting to her. They seemed to have a fairly healthy relationship despite her pulse and his lack there of. She fought back a rising tide of pain as thoughts of Bill once again drifted into her mind. _Don't go there. He betrayed __you Sookie._

Jenni made a 'pfft' sound. "Oh this' nothin. We get more entertainin as tha night goes on."

Asha decided to make her presence known. "Mama, I thirsty. Can I pwease haf somethin?"

Rowan nodded affirming his sister's sentiment.

"Okay babies," she said with a smile as she smoothed the hair out of Asha's face.

"Oh my goodness," Sookie said with a smile, "Forgive me. I should have gotten ya'll your drinks."

"'S okay," Fallon replied. "Ya ready?"

Sookie nodded.

"Okay we need two apple juices fa tha kids, a sweet tea fa Amber, two AB negative Tru Bloods, but if ya don't have that, the boys'll take A negative. An two Bahama Mamas fa us if ya can."

It was pretty obvious to Sookie that Fallon was used to ordering drinks for the whole group. _I guess they must go out all together a lot._

While the girls were talking, Amber took the opportunity to examine Sookie further. There was something mighty familiar about this girl but she couldn't quite place it. Like she'd seen her before. She elbowed Connor to get his attention.

He leaned in so Amber could whisper to him. "Doesn't she look familiar?"

He nodded. But unlike her, he had an idea of where he'd seen her (or someone who looked a whole lot like her) before. Immediately, he yanked out his cellphone and fired off a text message. _Sookie Stackhouse – find out everything. _His phone beeped with the response: _Will get bk 2 U in 1 hr._

"Sure," Sookie replied with a sweet smile. "I'll be right back with your drinks."

As soon as she walked away from the table, Jenni turned to Fallon. "She's telepathic. She ain't trained, but she could be strong with tha propa trainin."

Fallon regarded her sister carefully. "What ya proposin J?"

"I'm sayin," she replied with a slight shrug, "that she's got a lotta pain an sadness in her life. Maybe she could use some friends. She seems like she'd okay with vamps so why not?"

"Jennika," Connor interupted. Jenni had a penchant for wanting to pick up strays.

"Con, hear me out," Jenni said as she turned pleading eyes on her best friend. "Ya know I'm tha first one ta be weary a people. But there's somethin bout this girl that calls ta me. I can't imagine that there's a whole lotta people in this town that're acceptin a her gift. I'll bet ya anythin that when she was a kid she was treated like a freak. Her aura's all ova tha place. That poor girl dunno which way's up or down."

Fallon nodded affirming Jenni's sentiment. "'S true. Her aura's so many colors it's confusin. So many emotions. But tha ones I feel tha most're loneliness, sadness an anga. Can't hurt ta try, right?"

"Amber," Connor said with a sigh, "do you concur with Jenni and Fallon's evaluations?"

"Absolutely," she replied without hesitation. "Sides, it would be nice to have someone new in the fold."

Connor glanced at his older brother, looking for his reaction.

Eamon held back a smirk. Connor, to the outside world was very cold and calculating at times. But, he had an immense soft spot when it came to Amber and the Kavanagh clan. He protected them with his life and was only being cautious. "The girls have never been wrong before Brother."

"Alright," he huffed, "but I would like you girls to be careful. You know trusting the wrong people could have grave consequences."

Jenni clapped her hands together gleefully. "So it's settled then. We'll invite her ta lunch tomorra."

--

Later That Same Night: The O'Malley Estate:

"Well isn't this quaint," Pam chirped as she and Eric pulled into Connor and Eamon's driveway. The house, like the property, was huge. It looked like a turn of the century plantation home. But whoever had done the construction, had certainly done a fantastic job of restoring the home to its former glory. Even she was capable of appreciating it's beauty.

Eric stayed uncharacteristically silent as he surveyed the property. Eamon certainly had gone all out as far as security went. If he wasn't mistaken, a powerful witch or two had placed tightly woven wards on his brother's new homestead. He could feel the magic as they'd passed through the gates.

Before they had a chance to reach the door, it opened. There stood a tall raven haired woman with bright green eyes. She was older – she looked to be in her forties. But something told them she was much older. Her scent was that of old magic – fairy, elf, and things of that sort. "Won't you come in," the woman said politely in an Irish accent. "I'm Miriam, the housekeeper. Master Eamon has been expecting you. If you'll follow me, I will take you to him."

As they stepped through the doorway they locked eyes. It was then that Eric knew Pam agreed with his initial assessment. There was strong magik protecting these grounds. It was undeniable. The wards were palpable as soon as they'd stepped into the house.

"It seems my dear brother has some very good and very powerful witches at his disposal," Eric remarked softly.

Pam nodded wordlessly. Eamon had always been very cautious. But protection wards were out of the ordinary, even for him. It made her wonder almost immediately.

"Ah," came Eamon's voice from the living room. "My dear friends."

The sight of her maker's brother never failed to give Pam chills. Eamon Kildare was one incredibly attractive vampire. He had been turned at the age of thirty-three in 14th century Ireland by none other than Godric. Like Eric, he stood tall, even for a man - with short brown hair (these days it was spiked), crystal azure eyes and muscles for days. He wasn't overly built though; his physique fit him perfectly.

"Eamon," Pam piped up after she stopped drooling (she was a woman after all – even she could appreciate a pretty package), "this place reeks of magik."

"That would be my mate and her sister's faults. One cannot be too careful these days as you know," he answered with a smirk. He knew Eric and Pam were in for quite the surprise. In their phone conversations, he hadn't revealed to his brother that he had taken a mate. No, that was a surprise he felt would be best revealed in person.

"Mate?" Eric asked in confusion. In their heyday, Eamon had been just as much of a womanizer as he had. He found it very hard to believe that his brother would commit himself to just one woman. After all, vampires weren't exactly known as monogamous creatures.

Eamon nodded, smiling widely. "Follow me. I'm fairly sure they're still in the gym sparring," he said as he led them from the room.

They walked to a set of double doors at the end of the hall. He pushed the doors open carefully, not wanting to hit either of them if they were near. When the girls were training, they rarely paid attention to things like that. They trained harder than any human he'd ever met in his life. Since the day that Dante had introduced martial arts into their lives, the girls had been hooked. They only had five years under their belts and were easily better than most who'd trained their entire lives.

He stood beside Eric and Pam smirking. His girls knew they had guests so they took things up a notch. He could tell. They'd stepped things up as soon as he'd told Fallon that they'd arrived. It wasn't necessarily showing off. Rather, it was more a demonstration of the fact that they could easily hold their own. The two of them, Jennika especially, were often mistaken as being weak and ineffectual. Between their gifts and their natural skill, that was a poor assumption. Any one who had ever made it paid the price – usually at the expense of their pride.

Eric stood there watching as two young woman sparred with bastons (he recognized them because he'd spent some time in the Philippines learning Eskrima himself) in each hand. Never (well at least in modern times) had he witnessed two young women fight with such skill. Theirs was a well practiced danced. They had obviously had professional training – and learned quite well.

"Well aren't they precious," Pam quipped from beside him. She was actually fascinated as the pair maneuvered themselves around each carefully as they fought. They were good; very good as a matter of fact. And that was saying something on Pam's part. She was rarely, if ever, impressed by humans. Especially younger ones.

"The shorter one is Jennika and the other is my bonded Fallon."

"You bound yourself to a human?" Eric asked incredulously with a raised eyebrow. In all the time (seven hundred plus years) he'd known Eamon Adair, he hadn't paid much attention to humans unless it was for a meal or the occasional lay. To hear him refer to the young (he guessed no more than eighteen) brunette as his bonded threw him for a loop, that much was for certain.

Eamon stared lovingly at his Bonded. "Believe me old friend, there's more to her than meets the eye. She is unlike any woman I've ever known. The both of them are. They've had a rough life and it's only made them stronger. Where most would fall, they've rebounded and been that much better for it."

"How hard could it have possibly been. They're what eighteen, if that?" Pam queried curiously. She wasn't trying to be sarcastic (for once); rather, she was genuinely curious at what her old friend saw in the pair that the rest of the world didn't.

No sooner had the words left Pam's mouth did he quip back. "Twenty-one. They'll be twenty-two on Samhain. And their ages have nothing to do with life experience. You of all people should know that Pamela."

Shock crossed her face. Eamon had never gotten snippy with her before. "It was merely an observation."

"An incorrect one," he snapped a little more forcefully than he'd liked. It was then that Eric and Pam both glanced at him in surprise. "My apologies. I'm very defensive of the two of them. I love Fal with everything I am and I'm not ashamed to admit it. And Jenni is the sister that I never had."

Deciding a change of subject was in order, Eric turned back to watching the pair as he asked, "may I ask how it is that you came to live here?"

"The property has been in the family since their great-great grandparents came over from Ireland. It was left to their mother by their great grandfather and she left it to them when she passed. They decided last year that a change of scenery was due. The old house that stood here was demolished and completely rebuilt from the ground up. Not cheap mind you. It has every amenity that one could need. They even went so far as to make it safe for Connor and myself as well."

Eric's eyebrows raised. The girls came from old money. "Do they not have other family?" It was strange to see such young human females around without any family members what so ever; even he knew that.

Eamon shook his head. His face hardened as he replied. "Their father lives on Long Island with their step-mother and younger half-brothers. They also have two older half-brothers but they haven't spoken to any of them in years. Not since their father tossed them out when they were sixteen."

"That is quite young, is it not?"

Eamon's lips curled up in a sneer and his tone took on an irritated edge. "Yeah. As soon as their mother died, he wanted no part of them what so ever."

"That's cruel, even by human standards."

Eamon scoffed. "Believe me, they are better off. Thomas Bedlam is nothing more than a heartless bastard. If I believed Fallon would let me, I'd drain him myself. He married his wife for her family's money and treated his daughters as second class citizens from day one. He never wanted girls. Their brothers have always gotten whatever they pleased and the two of them got nothing but mental and sometimes even physical abuse."

In all of his thousand plus years, the one thing that Eric had always abhorred was violence against woman. He saw no need for it. There were other ways to teach a woman her place other than to strike her. "He struck his own daughters?"

"Usually Jennika. She jumped in anytime she could to draw the heat away from Fallon."

He eyed the shorter twin with interest. Clearly she was a spitfire. "That's brave of her."

"Brave and stupid. When they were thirteen, he beat her unconscious and locked her in the basement for three days with no food or water. To keep her from saying anything to their mother or the authorities, he threatened her that if she talked, he'd kill Fallon. Naturally, she said nothing. Fallon, in turn, flipped out on him and spent four days of her own down there. Those two would willingly die for each other. They have a bond, the likes of which I've never seen. Even for twins."

He knew that humans had a system in place to care for children whose parents were either absent or neglectful. "No one stepped in on their behalf?"

"The two of them were afraid that if they did admit to anything, he would hurt their mother. And she was completely incapable of defending herself."

"Why?"

"She suffered from Progressive-Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis for fourteen years. When she died, she was bedridden and on a feeding tube. For years, they watched their mother slip away piece by piece. Fallon's able to talk about it but still Jenni can't. It's such a painful subject. They worshiped the ground their mother walked on. It broke their hearts to see her like that. Unlike their father, Mary-Ellen Bedlam loved her daughters with every fiber of her being. One look at any old photographs will tell you that. She was everything to them and they to her."

"That's almost sad enough to make me leak."

"Pamela, have you developed a heart in my absence?"

"I said almost Eamon."

Eric was enraptured by Jennika as she and her sister continued to fight. For something so young (an infant in the grand scheme of things) she was incredibly strong and willful. Something that was quite rare for a breather. The only other human he knew of that shared such qualities was Sookie. "They have suffered much."

"More than you know."

A tiny voice behind them interupted the conversation. "Uncle Eamon."

Pam and Eric turned to see a little boy with bright blue eyes and messy blonde hair standing there clutching a blue blanket in his little fist.

Eamon knelt down in front of him. "What's up Little Prince?"

The little boy looked up curiously at Eric and Pam. He glanced back at his uncle and switched to speaking in Gaelic. A very old dialect of Gaelic, Eric noted. The only way anyone outside of Ireland knew it in this age was if it was taught by a previous generation. _"Who are they?"_

Eamon smiled. Anytime Rowan or Asha were nervous, they reverted to speaking in Irish. _"Friends of mine. Nothing to worry about Little Prince."_

Gently, he pulled him into his arms and stood to face his friends. "Eric, Pam, meet Jennika's son Rowan, Row this is Eric and Pam. They're friends of mine."

Rowan laid his head on Eamon's shoulder and gave a small wave. He then whispered into Eamon's ear. "Are they like you, Uncle Connor and Gampa Te?"

He chuckled and nodded. Rowan knew without having to ask the question but the little boy had been taught well to mask his gift in the presence of strangers. "Yes, Row. They're like Grampa Dante, Uncle Connor and I."

As if it was the most natural thing in the world to be told that, Rowan shrugged his shoulders and responded, "okay."

Speechless, Eric and Pam could only manage a tiny wave in return. They certainly had not expected to find their longtime friend not only co-habitating with humans but children as well. Then again, for the past two hundred years, he'd been one of the right hand men to the most progressive (and powerful) kings in all of North America: Dante Cataldi, King of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Out of nowhere, Miriam came to a halt beside Eamon. "I'm sorry Master Eamon. I didn't realize he'd left his room until I heard Asha calling for him. I got her back to sleep and came in search of him."

"It's alright Miriam."

"I'll take him."

"Sure," Eamon said as he handed Rowan over to her. He kissed him on his little forehead. "Goodnight, Little Prince."

"G'night Uncle Eamon. Bye Pam. Bye Eric." He said over Miriam's shoulder as they walked away.

Again, the two waved wordlessly. When Eric regained the power of speech, he asked, "what was that?"

"That was Jennika's son."

"He's what four?" Pam asked in disbelief. It had been a long time since she was in the presence of children. Well, other than those two wretched children that the shifter had brought to Fangtasia. For some reason, Rowan hadn't bothered her the way those two had. Maybe, it was because he hadn't stared at them as if they were circus acts. And if he was Jennika's son, she had him quite young; at least by modern standards.

Eamon nodded. "Yes. His twin sister is asleep upstairs."

"Any more surprises in store for us?" Eric asked incredulously.

With a chuckle, he shook his head. "Nope. That's it for the night. Normally, they sleep like the dead. I'm very surprised he was awake. He must've felt your presence."

Eric's eyebrows arched in confusion. "Felt our presence?"

Eamon let out an unnecessary sigh. "Did Sophie-Anne tell you nothing?" It figured to him that, that little snip would tell her Sheriff nothing. She'd been pretty pissed off when she'd received her orders from the Emperor. She'd never been fond of humans when they weren't a snack or a fuck. Thus the reason that many were no longer fond of her.

"Apparently not. Explain."

"Jennika, Fallon, Rowan, and Asha are telepathic."

"Among otha things," a voice quipped from behind them.

The three turned to see Jennika and Fallon standing behind them. "Ya must be tha Sheriff an his trusty sidekick," Jenni declared with a smirk.

Eric blinked in confusion, not quite sure to make of the diminutive human.

Pam smirked. There was something about the girl she liked already. Especially considering she'd rendered Eric speechless and seemed completely unaffected by his presence. Only Sookie had ever managed such a feat. _Oh the ammunition..._

Fallon, tried but failed miserably to hold back her giggle. Leave it to Jenni to be a brat right from the get go. She shot straight from the hip and made no apologies for it either.

"Jennika," Eamon said in a warning tone, "play nice."

She shrugged her shoulders in response. "I didn't do anythin wrong E. 'S tha truth, ain't it?" Her gaze was challenging.

Eamon simply stared down at her and shook his head disapprovingly. He let out an unnecessary sigh. "What am I going to do with you Little One?"

Jenni smirked and her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Love me an hold me an neva let me go? Oh wait, that's Fallon. I guess ya s.o.l. with that E. Ya stuck with my punk ass as long as ya with my sista."

He rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Damn package deals."

With a chuckle, she struck back. "Just rememba. No refunds, exchanges or substitutions allowed."

Eamon threw his arm around his bonded's twin and kissed her forehead. "You'll keep Kavanagh. You'll keep."

"I betta. Just rememba E: if anythin happens ta me, ya an Fal get tha kids."

"I guess I better see to it that you stay alive then."

Meanwhile, Fallon turned to their guests. "Don't mind my sista," she chirped, "she left her mannas in NYC. I'm Fallon Kavanagh an this' Jennika."

Jenni turned her head and smirked. "Nice ta meet ya," she said with a smile in Pam's direction. Then she glanced up at Eric. "Great anotha one."

Eric's eyes narrowed. "Another what?"

"Anotha tall ass person round here. I swear I feel like a freggin midget round all a ya."

Pam tried in vain to stop her laughter but she couldn't. This was just too priceless.

Eric fought the urge to smirk. Jennika was quite interesting, to say the least.

Fallon chuckled. "'S cause ya are a midget J. Everyone an their motha's talla than ya midget ass."

Jenni shot a mock glare at her twin. "Watch it ya wench. I'm not short I'm fun sized."

Fallon laughed out loud. "If that's what helps ya sleep at night J."

Eamon threw his other arm around Fallon and smiled at his friends. "Pam, Eric, welcome to the circus. They give shows nightly."

"An we're available fa parties on weekends," Jenni quipped, wanting to have the last word.

Fallon turned her head into Eamon's chest as she laughed once more. Her attempt to stifle her laughter only sent Jenni into a fit of hysterics herself.

Eamon in turn, chuckled as well.

Eric arched an eyebrow. The Kavanagh girls were quite the pair. "Are they always like this?"

"Most of the time. They feed off of each other."

Pam clapped her hands together gleefully. "Oh this is going to be so much fun. Finally some humans who aren't boring."

"Scuse us," Fallon said as she kissed Eamon's cheek and grabbed Jenni's hand. "We're in desperate need of showas afta tha workout we just had. We'll be back in a lil bit."

Jenni winked and took off with her sister down the hall and up the stairs.

They left Eamon and Pam staring at their retreating forms in amusement, and Eric in confusion....

Life was about to get far more interesting.....

-

After showering, Fallon dressed in a pair of black stretch capris and one of Eamon's shirts that she'd fished from his side of their closet. She loved wearing his clothes, they always smelled like him: earth, fire, and rain. It sounded strange but on him she found it intoxicating.

She sauntered into her sister's bedroom. Jenni stood in front of her bathroom mirror in a pair of black boy shorts emblazoned with 'Wench' on the back and a matching tank top, brushing her hair.

"Don't ya think that outfit's a lil ova tha top considerin we have company?" Fallon queried as she examined her sister. Jenni was definitely the more outrageous out of the two of them. Demure wasn't in her vocabulary. But she couldn't blame her. Jenni had been on the chunky side when they were children; as a result, she often was the butt of many jokes from her father and brothers.

As a teen, she'd busted her ass to lose that weight. She wasn't a stick though; no, rather, Jenni possessed curves that would make any girl jealous. So now, at twenty-one, she was ridiculously proud of her body and often wore clothes that showed it off. It wasn't so much that she dressed like a whore – more that she dressed in such a way that ensured male (and even female sometimes) attention was almost always on her. Between her big blue eyes, red hair, tattoos, piercings and wardrobe, everyone always knew when Jenni was in a room.

Even though Eamon swore otherwise (she reasoned it was his job as her bonded), Fallon always felt her little sister (by twenty-two minutes) was the prettier of the two of them.

"Ask me if I give a fuck," was Jenni's reply. She really didn't. She just happened to grab the first outfit she could find. It wasn't like Tall, Blonde and Dead was gonna notice her anyway. _'S not like I'm anythin special to look at. That hot ass __piece a man wouldn't gimme tha time a day, even if he could walk in tha light._ Jenni, for some reason, was never happy when she looked in the mirror. She had almost no self esteem to speak of and hid it behind a mask of sarcasm.

Oblivious to her sister's mental berating of herself, Fallon's tone was teasing. "Oh I know ya do. I saw ya lookin at Mr. Big, Blonde, an Bad."

"Yeah, like ya man ain't sex walkin," Jenni chirped back with a roll of her eyes. "Sides, I've sworn off that bullshit. Memba?"

She rolled her eyes at her sister. "Doesn't mean he ain't nice ta look at."

"Yeah and?"

Fallon's reply was cut off by Jenni's stomach rumbling.

"Ya hungry? Or are ya hungry, hungry?" Hungry meant human food. And hungry, hungry meant something else all together.

"Fuck," she groaned. She sighed heavily as she pushed past Fallon and flopped on her bed. Jenni closed her eyes as the craving flowed through her veins. She glanced at her watch: eight-thirty. _Fuck, is it that late already? Gods damn it. I shoulda had a fuckin blood three hours ago._ She needed to drink at least two a day; one when she woke up in the morning and one with or after dinner. Otherwise, the craving consumed her and she ended up getting sick. _Ya would think afta five years I woulda gotten myself straight with that shit._

"When's tha last time ya had any?" Fallon queried, her voice laced with concern. When they didn't have blood, it wasn't a pretty sight. It was like the flu but amplified times a hundred. The hunger could completely incapacitate them. It was completely different from vampire blood lust though – whereas a vamp wouldn't be able to control themselves from attacking someone if they were hungry enough, she, Jenni and the kids would become violently ill and completely immobile (as in they couldn't attack anyone if they tried) from the hunger.

A snap of fangs was Fallon's answer. She moved over to the fridge across from Jenni's bed and removed a Tru Blood. She then placed it in the microwave for a minute. When the microwave beeped, she removed it and shook it up. Then, she flopped down on the bed beside her sister, shoving the bottle at her. "Drink," she commanded in a tone that left no room for argument. "Ya gotta stop doin that shit. We're supposed ta have at least one a day J. Ya know how sick ya get if ya don't have any."

"Yeah, yeah, Fal. I was just busy. I was gonna have one lata on."

Fallon gritted her teeth as her own fangs popped out in irritation. "An what happened if ya went downstairs an suddenly got a cravin? Ya wanna chance ya fangs makin an appearance in front a Eric an Pam? Eamon an Connor haven't even had a chance ta explain just what we are yet."

"They're gonna find out anyways," Jenni replied with a shrug as she sipped at her blood, "what's tha difference tween now an lata?"

With an angry shake of her head Fallon snipped back. "Eamon hates lyin ta Eric."

"Fal, it ain't lyin. 'S just skirtin tha truth fa tha moment."

"Whateva, just drink so we can go downstairs. Eamon's getting antsy. An Amber an Connor should be home soon."

Jenni tipped her Tru Blood in her sister's direction. "Ya want one?"

"I don't need it. I had some already," Fallon replied with a feral grin.

She made a disgusted face at her sister. As long as Fallon and Eamon exchanged blood on a daily basis, Fallon really only needed a Tru Blood or two once every few days. Internally, she was happy that Fallon was happy. But she and Eamon went at it at the very least twice if not three times a night. Fallon was always grinning like the cat that ate the cream. She was envious and grossed out all at once. But there was nothing like sex with a vampire. Then again, neither of them had ever been with a human man. There was no doubt that a human just couldn't compare in skill and stamina. "Fuck ya Fal. Thank tha Gods that tha walls in this house're soundproof. I so don't need ta hear ya an E knockin boots."

"Bitch," Fallon said while clicking her tongue, "ya need ta get laid. I ain't likin ya attitude lately."

"Bite me," Jenni quipped back as she stuck out her pierced tongue.

With a grin, Fallon's fangs snapped out. "Where?" She asked teasingly.

She snorted. "Ya crazy Fal."

----


End file.
